Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Body Image

Isn't it silly how a sudden and unexpected drop in the number on that scale can make a day go from blah to amazing? That sudden drop could be a sign that something is wrong. People don't randomly lose 4 lbs in a week, but we (women in particular) thrive on those possibly unhealthy numbers.

The world we live in rewards thin and slightly underweight women and doesn't focus enough attention on feeling your best and most confident self. Magazines are slowly trying to increase the number of "fiercely real" (in the words of Tyra Banks) girls in their fashion pictures and giving advice about what clothes to wear to look their very best (under the euphemism "curvy" or course). When did thin become so attractive? What happened to the statuesque goddess-like beauty of Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell? Nowadays, these women would be considered less than ideal, even chubby! Why is voluptuous and healthy considered chubby and pudgy [insert whatever word you use here] and "plus size"? I'm sure that these beautiful and sexy women didn't spend half of their lives working out at the gym and denying themselves their favorite foods left and right. They owned their bodies and the world could see that.

So what can the normal woman do to avoid these images of "perfect" women and all of those things out in the world that make us hate ourselves? Well... you could throw out all of your favorite magazines. You could never go on the internet again. And just stop watching TV and movies while you're at it. Try to walk outside with your eyes closed. You might see someone who looks "better" than you. Yes. I realize that these options got more and more ridiculous as the list went on. That's because these are all of the things that people have told me to do and I hate these choices. They pretty much suck. So my advice to myself and to all of you is to stop comparing! I realize that it's really difficult to do that. Believe me. I'm still working on it. But once you stop comparing yourself to everyone else, you'll learn to love what you look like and feel confident in who you are. I honestly believe that confidence is what can be the difference between a "dull-looking" person and a radiant person. Think about all the beautiful women in your life... Are they all size 0, tan, blonde, tall? I doubt it. What makes them beautiful to you? Embody that. But again, why should you all listen to me when I haven't yet taken my own advice? I will. I am! Like I said: this blog will be my journey. I'm right there with you.